So, you’ve finally found some time to escape the bustle and heat of the city! What better way to spend it than to head to the mountains for some good old fashioned fun?! There’s only one problem; one day of exploring is all you can spare before getting back to reality. With limited time and unlimited activities, organizing your trip to Breck can become quite challenging. Fear not, we’re here to help!

Plan ahead!

Summer can be even busier than winter in this year-round mountain town. Weekends tend to get crowded, so make reservations for desired activities or accommodations. If you’re able to stay in town the night before, you’re guaranteed an earlier morning and fuller day (so long as your head hits the pillow before bar close or too many drinks). Check out the cheapest and best quality lodges here. If you aren’t able to swing that, make sure you hit the road EARLY to arrive by mid-morning. Friday afternoons and early evenings are the WORST time to venture to Breck; just don’t do it. Traffic is equally unbearable Sunday afternoons, so if you can avoid those times, you will save yourself and passengers a world of pain and terrible music (since much of the ride east doesn’t have radio stations). Click here for further directions.

Get Breck-fast in Breck

Waiting in line to eat your first meal is never fun, especially if you’ve just driven up from the Front Range. Although Columbine Café and Salt Creek have tasty brunches, La Francaise does breakfast like no other. Call ahead to place a pick-up order (I recommend the bacon egg Swiss on the baguette), and use a 10% off coupon found in the “What to Do in Breckenridge” book (free in the upstairs lobby of Eric’s). Take your sandwich, friends, and sunscreen down to the Blue River near the Riverwalk Center, where you can enjoy a picnic along the water or while taking in the enchanting Breckenridge gardens. If you’d rather be in the river instead of eating by it, read this.

Check out Peak 8!

The mountain’s most popular winter peak is just as happening in the summer! The Peak 8 Fun Park is an adrenaline-fueled adventure for children and adults alike. Take a race down the acclaimed alpine slides or soar through the sky on one of the highest zip lines in the country. Whip down the gold coaster while soaking in the Summit County scenery. Create some healthy competition over some mini golf or get lost in the Minecraft Maze! You can also check out the new downhill biking course, or even take a scenic chairlift ride if that floats your boat.

Happy Hour

Do your wallet a favor and grab a late lunch. Happy hour starts around 3pm, and most restaurants in town have killer deals on food and drinks. The Blue River Bistro is one of my personal favorites, sporting two for one apps and martinis, along with $3 drafts and domestic bottles. But, it’s hard to contend with The Blue Stag’s sizeable discounts on peel your own shrimp, wings and rotating drink specials. If you’re craving Mexican, the cantina and deck at Mi Casa offer 3 tacos for $5, wing baskets for $6, Tecate and Dos Equis for $2, and $1 off Margs during happy hour. Feast your eyes on more delicious selections here.

Hey Pal, Take a Hike!

Breck is known for spectacular sunsets for a reason. Witnessing the ten mile range on fire from atop Baldy Mountain is probably the best way to illustrate this. Aspen Alley is known for the most magnificent views of Breck, all the while walking through a tunnel of… you guessed it- aspens! The stroll is about half a mile down a well-maintained dirt road, and is also accessible by car so everyone can enjoy it. In the summer, I start around 715pm (but it’s beautiful any time of day) and walk the length of the road to where it opens to a meadow. After searching for wildflowers and absorbing the scenery, I slowly start to wander back towards the trailhead. By now it’s around 8pm, when the sunset is peaking. Walk slowly, realize how lucky you are to be here and behold the glorious mountains of Summit County in a way that you never imagined possible. You’re Welcome. Looking for more of a challenge? See this awesome article.

It’s getting late and that happy hour drink has had time to work its way through your system. Unfortunately, it’s time for you to ramble on. Don’t fret; we’ll still be here next weekend. Get home safe, come back soon and make sure to stay tuned for our next post with even more handy ideas!

http://www.bestofbreck.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Thursday-July-30-2015.jpg15001500Karah Helena Kidgerhttp://www.bestofbreck.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/logo-332x156.pngKarah Helena Kidger2015-07-30 18:26:102015-07-30 18:26:10HOW TO DO BRECK IN A DAY

Your friends and family back home will think you’re out of your mind. Your boss isn’t going to understand why you’re giving up your flourishing career to be a ski bum in a vacationland. And you might find yourself questioning what in the world you are doing with your life. But once the seed is planted, it’s hard to stifle its growth. You fell in love with a mountain town, and you can’t wait to experience the wonderful journey that awaits you in Breckenridge. So, as you clear out your desk, pack your car full of your most necessary belongings, say goodbye to your loved ones, and head out in pursuit of your unconventional dreams, give this a read and come prepared to succeed.

1. Drink water!

Breckenridge will leave you breathless; both literally and figuratively. When moving to such a magical place, one may forget to prepare for life at 9600+ feet above sea level. Walking up a set of stairs can challenge your lungs in ways you have never experienced. Luckily, most people adjust within a few weeks. To combat potential altitude sickness, drink lots of water, pay attention to nutrition, limit alcohol consumption, and exercise regularly. For more serious altitude sickness, you can always go visit an oxygen bar in town to get a breath of fresh air. For more detailed information, Click here!

2. However appealing it may be, don’t go out every night.

Speaking of limiting alcohol consumption, it can be all too easy to end up at a bar most nights. In Breckenridge, there is always something fun going on, and the town is known for its unlimited night life. And what better place to meet new people easily than to go out in town? New residents quickly learn what a blessing and curse that this can be. Luckily, Summit County has a plethora of fun activities and groups that you can join to meet people in a healthier setting that won’t impair your liver function! Check out this page to find ongoing fun events throughout the state!

3. Secure a year round job.

In a resort town, employment can be extremely seasonal. If you secure a position as a lifty, come spring, your wallet may be feeling pretty light. Not to mention, every other seasonal employee is also searching for work at the same time as you. This can result in pan handling in town, moving back into your parents’ house, or couch surfing. For the sake of your pride, parents’ sanity, and maintaining healthy friendships, do yourself a favor. Secure a year round position with an employer that takes care of you. I suggest visiting Breckenridge Grand Vacations if you would like to work for a company that the Denver Post named the 11th best place to work in the state of CO.

4. Find a decent place to live.

When living in a world class destination, it’s difficult to find affordable and attractive housing options. If you’re bringing your dog, it’s going to be even more ruff. Unless you’re okay with living in a congested hovel that smells like Sunday mornings in a college dorm, you may want to plan ahead. Have references and credit reports on hand, along with all the cash you need for first, last, and security deposits. If in-person showings aren’t possible, do FaceTime or Skype viewings. Having a job in advance is difficult, but it will increase the likelihood of being selected as a tenant. Location is everything, so research the different areas of town that are accessible to both the mountain and downtown. If the only feasible option requires a random roommate, try to get to know each other in advance. Otherwise, you could end up like me when I first arrived: living with a much older, mentally ill stranger of the opposite gender who will have you crashing at friends’ houses or keeping 911 on speed dial; just in case.

5. Do something outside every day.

When you live in the heart of the Rockies, the world is literally at your fingertips. Whether you’re into skiing, riding, hiking, biking, skating, climbing, dog-sledding or even bird-watching, there’s never a shortage of activities to enjoy in the great outdoors of Summit County. Any sport you can imagine is now incredibly accessible to you, and it won’t take long to notice that you live in one of the most active communities around. In the event that your co-workers invite you to hot yoga on lunch break, your boss rolls into work on her mountain bike asking if you want to join next time, or you can participate in company-wide wellness walks to break up the work day; take advantage! Explore new interests and refine old hobbies. Be glad that you wandered home after your marvelous karaoke performance and didn’t stay out until last call. Instead, you woke up early and hiked Mayflower Gulch, enabling you to take in one of the most stunning landscapes your eyes have ever seen. Engage in the culture that is colorful Colorado, and it will embrace you back. The town’s recreation department always has the scoop on great activities to get involved in:

6. Don’t start conversations with, “So what do you do for a living?”

Now that you live in Breck, you’re no longer defined by your job. When you ask someone what they do, one of two things will happen. They will either describe their favorite activities, or they may choose not to have a lengthy chat with you. One of my favorite things about this region is that we aren’t confined to abiding by typical social norms. Success is measured by the joy given and received daily, not by how many commas your paycheck has. The community’s focus on living life to the fullest is wonderful, but just remember: everything in moderation! Town is a melting pot for a variety of tourists and explorers alike. With all of this wanderlust, you might find yourself lonely or annoyed when your new friends take off to backpack South East Asia, move to New Zeeland for the summer or are still crashing on your couch rent-free while using the last of your toilet paper. Develop relationships with folks that lead well-balanced lives. I’m not referring to those able to balance blacking out nightly while making it to work the next morning. Surround yourself with peers who enjoy supporting themselves, make time for what they love and foster fulfilling lives. They have the necessary discipline to make this thrilling place more than a passing fad in their travels; they’ve made it their home, and so can you! If you’re looking to meet some fun people, attend a class at our state of the art Rec Center.

7. If you value the Rocky Mountains, show them some serious love!

Believe it or not, Summit County doesn’t stay beautiful on its own. Sure, Mother Nature deserves a huge pat on the back for creating this dreamland, but it’s up to us to preserve. The litter in the river will kill the trout and isn’t going to recycle itself. The trees killed by the pine beetles aren’t going to grow back on their own without some help. This is no longer just about the next generation; this is about us. WE won’t have the opportunity to continue experiencing fresh tracks slashing through that bountiful champagne powder or rafting through class IV rapids down that raging river if it’s no longer there. Breckenridge has an Adopt-A-Trail program that maintains the beautiful Peaks Trails. Donate to the Summit Foundation and give back to the community that gives so much to you. Get involved in the BOEC and help others appreciate the mountains the way you do. Make sure you recycle and limit excessive waste. Not only will these actions help the environment and community, you’ll also feel pretty awesome while doing it!

Hey, congrats! You’re now ahead of the game for the big move. There’s still a lot to learn, but you’ll have to experience it yourself. OR, you can just stay tuned for our next post! Get here safe; we can’t wait to meet you!

Being located in Colorado’s High Country, Breckenridge is surrounded by miles and miles of hiking trails that offer a fantastic variety of different terrain, elevation and of course difficulty levels. So often we have written blogs over the past years that highlight trails (as we should) that are pretty accessible to a large majority of the hiking population. Just recently we posted a blog about three popular hikes to mountain lakes that are really great intermediate hikes. Last year we posted what we think are the top five hikes in Summit County. All fun and good!!

This time of year hiking is one of the most popular summer activities in Breckenridge and Summit County. Hiking in Breckenridge is so accessible that it is kind of a no brainer! Lately here at the office we’ve been talking a lot about what hikes we’ve been going on and we realized that have never really highlighted what we think are the hardest hikes in Breckenridge and Summit County. With so many towering peaks surrounding us we thought it would be cool to talk about the truly painful, lung busting, leg burning hikes you can go out and get bragging rights on. These hikes help make up the best of Breckenridge too! So here are what we think are the top 5 badass hikes in Summit County.

Bald Mountain

Bald Mountain seems to sit all by itself to the east of downtown Breckenridge. “Baldy” is it is most often called rises an impressive 13,684 feet about sea level is a popular summer and winter hike. While Baldy looks like a single peak it is actually a six mile long ridgeline that divides into two sections. To the southeast is Boreas Mountain which rises to 13,082 and to the northwest is Bald Mountain which is the “true” summit at 13,684.

Baldy is a fairly gentle hike but it is long, has steep sections, is mostly exposed above tree line and of course goes up to almost 14,000 feet so it is an elevation challenge. The easiest way to hike Baldy is to start at the top of Boreas Pass. For a badass hike it is a pretty easy climb to the summit. That being said it is a 2,700 foot elevation gain in 3 miles so that’s like a 270 story building but not too steep. It’s completely exposed above tree line so even mild days offer a nice wind and chilly temps and of course climbing to almost 14,000 feet will inevitably slow you down a bit. All in all it is a totally amazing view and a pretty easy day hike.

To reach the trailhead drive to the south end of Breckenridge on Route 9. Turn left onto Boreas Pass Road. At 3.3 miles the pavement ends but the road is well-graded and is passable by any car. At 9.5 miles from the traffic light, you will reach Boreas Pass.

Greys and Torreys Peaks

Greys and Torreys make up the “Twin Towers” of Colorado’s Front Range and are two of the three “Fourteeners” that touch Summit County. Torreys is the higher of the two peaks and sits at an impressive 14,267 feet. While these peaks are in and accessible from Summit County the easiest trail starts a little east back through the Eisenhower Tunnel in Clear Creek County. Both mountains offer multiple ways to ascend the summits. Their proximity to Denver and relative ease (for a Fourteener) make this hike wildly popular so go early on weekends if you want to find parking and also to avoid getting struck by lightning in the frequent afternoon storms that pop up in the summer.

Greys and Torreys get their “badassery” not so much from the altitude which is super high or the pitch of the climb or even the 3,600 foot vertical rise you have to climb in order to summit but rather from the 9 mile round trip involved getting there and back. The distance of this hike puts it over the edge. Also the last climb up Torreys is really steep.

To get to the trailhead Take I-70 to the Bakerville exit #221. Drive south over to the dirt parking area near the start of Forest Road 189. Follow the dirt road 3 miles to the summer trailhead. Stay straight and follow the sign for the Grays Peak trailhead. Continue another 2 miles to the trailhead at 11,280’. There are restrooms and a few dispersed camping spots near the parking area.

Quandary Peak

Quandary Peak is the third Fourteener that touches Summit County and is a bit more difficult than Greys and Torreys. Although Quandary is pretty much the same elevation as Greys and Torreys at 14,265 feet, the climb of 3,450 vertical feet is condensed into about half the distance of Greys and Torreys. The easiest way up is the east ridge which starts south of Breckenridge and ascends the east side of the mountain for just under 3 miles to the summit.

After you clear the trees there is a steep pitch that delivers you onto a thin windswept ridgeline that runs west up to the summit. There is a “false” summit you will be looking at and when you reach that you will realize that is still another thousand feet or so you have to climb to reach the summit. Once you are up on the ridge don’t get too close to the south side. There are 50 degree slopes dropping thousands of feet to Blue Lakes.

To get to the East Ridge trailhead drive 8 miles south of Breckenridge on Highway 9. Turn right on (Blue Lakes) Road. Drive a few hundred yards and turn right on the 851 (McCullough Gulch) Road. Drive 0.1 mile to the signed trailhead and small parking area. If the trailhead lot is full it is ok to park on the side of the 851 road or the overflow lot but don’t park on the side of the 850 road, in front of homes.

Peak 1

The #1 and #2 hikes are not Fourteeners but are arguably the two most difficult hikes in Summit County. It is the crushing pitch and vertical rise in such short distances that make these 2 hike so badass. Peak 1 is the iconic (pointy) mountain that sits just above Frisco and clearly visible from almost anywhere in the main part of Summit County. Peak 1 is only 12,805 feet but it offers the hiker an almost 4,000 foot climb in about 3 and a half miles. As with all the bad ass hikes it is primarily above tree line and totally exposed to all of the elements. The final 700 feet is a hair raising knife thin ridge walk through a loose scree field. It is non-technical so you don’t need ropes, just don’t have a fear of heights.

The trailhead is really easy to access. From Main street stoplight on Highway 9, head west on Main St. and turn left on turn left at 2nd St. Follow 2nd street to the parking area at the end of the road and the trailhead starts here.

Buffalo Mountain

If you come through the Eisenhower Tunnel on Interstate 70 heading west, the first thing you will see looking out towards Dillon and Silverthorne is Buffalo Mountain. Ironically the shortest mountain on this list at 12,777 feet is one of the most visibly imposing mountains in Summit County. You cannot miss the distinctive round hump and huge “crater” like hole in the middle of the mountain. The best views are from Silverthorne and Dillon. Buffalo Mountain edges out Peak 1 as the most badass hike in Summit County based on its ridiculously steep middle section that includes a .6 mile 23% grade. The hike is about 3 miles one way and just over 3,000 vertical feet, but don’t let that fool you. The majority of that 3,000 feet is actually covered in about a mile and a half.

Oh yeah! Also the climb is basically through a loose scree field in an avalanche chute. It’s hard on the way up but it is absolutely brutal on the joints on the way down. The views from the summit are truly stunning especially the view of Dillon Reservoir. One of the most interesting things is although the mountain looks round from down in Silverthorne, from the summit looking down, the back side is a 3,000 foot vertical cliff.

The Trailhead is easy to get to. From the town of Silverthorne turn onto Wildernest Road (7-11 is on the right corner) and follow this road (it turns into Ryan Gulch Road about 1/3rd of the way up) to the very end. Take the trailhead to the right and follow the signs for Buffalo Mountain. After about a mile or so you will know you are on the right trail because you will be climbing a never ending staircase.

If you do decide to tackle one of the hikes do your homework first. They are all achievable for even moderate hikers if you prepare correctly and respect the mountains.

If you are looking for a place to stay while you are visiting Breckenridge and Summit County visit www.breckenridgediscountlodging.com for the best deals on Breckenridge lodging.

Breckenridge is a great place to visit. Plenty of trails to hike, rivers to fish, and crisp mountain air. What people don’t always realize though is that Breckenridge is also a great place to bring your favorite little critters. Dogs are accepted in many different events around town, on all trails, and even on the patios in many different restaurants. Here’s our list for great places to eat in Breckenridge that you can take your furry pawed animals too.

Crown

215 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 453-6022

This coffee morning stop turns into a great place to eat even after breakfast with a great lunch menu and bar. They serve one of a kind pastries and breakfast sandwiches in the morning that pair perfectly with their fresh coffee options. If you are looking for a great sandwich they also have a large variety of sandwiches and paninis in the afternoon. They have a large patio in the back which makes it a great fit to bring the dogs.

Motherloaded Tavern

103 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 453-2572

Located in the heart of downtown this is a great place to stop for a great lunch or dinner. They have a large patio in the back where you and your dog can enjoy a good meal or even some live music (depending on the time and day.) Get there early though, they have selected seating on the patio that usually gets full in the summer!

Blue Stag

323 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 453-2221

If you are looking for a great place to eat the Blue Stag is the place to go! They have a great variety of foods and their firebrick pizza and street tacos are a great options to try! The Blue Stag also has two patios (one in the front and one in the back) so the odds of getting a table outside are good.

Burke & Riley Irish Pub

520 South Main St # 3P, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 547-2782

This restaurant serves some authentic Irish foods like fish and chips as well as Shepard pie. They have a large patio with some of the most amazing views of Breckenridge as well. If you are not only looking for a great place to eat but take in the scenery of the mountains, this place is the place to go!

Kenosha

301 S Main St, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 453-7313

This place is all about the Steak, Burgers and BBQ. They have a great variety of all kinds of meats and different specials every night. They have over 31 beers on tap and over 20 of those are Colorado Craft beers. The patio allows dogs and has enough room to seat- so no waiting around for a seat.

Quandary Grill

505 S Main St C1, Breckenridge, CO 80424
(970) 547-5969

Whether it’s lunch or dinner Quandary Grill is a great option for you and your pet. The patio is a great place to eat a quality meal. The Quandary Grille was voted for the “Talk Of the Town” award and has a great menu to choose from. They have a great happy hour as well from 2-5 pm.

So the next time you are thinking about a place to vacation remember that not only is Breckenridge a great place to stay but also a great place to bring the critters and enjoy the some good food and the outdoors!